Intimidator
by Sir Barn
Summary: An Imperial-class Star Destroyer is captured by the crew of a Rebel transport. Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron go on a mission using the captured ISD to infiltrate and eliminate an Imperial compound of almost unparalleled importance.


Disclaimer: Star Wars and all related stuff is property of George Lucas. I'm just having a little fun with them.  
  
  
  
The rebel transport drifted in space, devoid of power. The Star Destroyer Intimidator was cruising in leisurely, a tractor beam locked on the transport. The tractor beam was slowly drawing the Corellian-built ship into the Imperial-class's docking bay.  
  
Lars Fellowes grasped his computer console as docking clamps gripped the transport tightly. The Red Star, the rebel ship, had been struck by six ion blasts. It was almost completely disabled. Lars was the communications officer onboard the Red Star, and he was a good officer. His captain began barking orders.  
  
"All military personnel, report to docking areas eight and nine. Prepare to repel boarders." Captain Harley E'dient turned to Lars. "Lieutenant Fellowes, dump the core."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
The captain spoke up again. "All emergency power to the core, prepare to dump!"  
  
Lars's fingers began to fly over the console as he began to obey the captain's orders. As he brought up the main schematic, he noticed a peculiarity.  
  
"Captain, a moment, if you would?"  
  
"Aye, Lieutenant?"  
  
"I believe the Imperials are attempting to access our computer core via an external link."  
  
"Damnit, then hurry with the dumping progress!"  
  
"Actually, sir, I think I can block access to their probe, and turn their own link against them."  
  
"What good would that do?"  
  
"We may be able to decompress the entire Star Destroyer, and capture it."  
  
"Can you do it?" the captain asked. Capturing a Star Destroyer would be quite a bounty for the Rebel Alliance.  
  
Lars nodded. "I can try, sir. If I fail, I'll dump the core."  
  
"Proceed, lieutenant."  
  
Lars grinned. With a few quick finger movements, he had completely blocked the Imperial intruder. 'Amateur,' he thought to himself as he brought up the Imperial computer database. It was encrypted, but in an old code the Rebels had already cracked. Quickly running the decryption program, he accessed the Imperial controls. With a few more keystrokes, he recoded the Imperial database in a cipher he was almost certain the Empire hadn't yet cracked.  
  
"Captain," Lars said to the man standing nervously at the viewscreen. "I'm in."  
  
Lars then locked the Imperials out of their own controls. He then changed the ship's command codes all to that of the Red Star. The captain approached and laid his left hand on the lieutenant's shoulder.  
  
"Good. Can you deactivate their life support?"  
  
"Aye, captain. Working on it." Lars accessed the environmental controls and located life support. He shut it down all over the Intimidator.  
  
An intercom buzzed at that second. "Captain, the first wave of stormtroopers has been defeated. We've taken twenty-one casualties. We're still ready to repel boarders."  
  
"Negative," the captain said. "Seal the breach and stand down."  
  
"Sir? Are we surrendering?"  
  
"No, Major. On the contrary, we're occupying the Imperial ship."  
  
"Sir?" the major said, clearly stunned.  
  
Captain E'dient smiled. "Report to the bridge, Major."  
  
"Aye, sir. Major Ysult out."  
  
Lars looked up at the captain. "Sir, there are no lifesigns on the Star Destroyer. Which, by the way, is called the Intimidator."  
  
"Understood. Do you think they sent a distress call?"  
  
"Negative. I shut down their communications system first thing, then checked their communications log. The last thing they sent was their daily report, four hours before they engaged us. We have twenty hours before any Imperial ships will be dispatched to investigate."  
  
"Excellent. I intend to occupy the Star Destroyer and take it back to Haven. It's quite the bounty."  
  
"Aye, captain. What do you think they'll do to it? Strip it down?"  
  
"I couldn't say, lieutenant. Perhaps they will recommission it as an Alliance ship."  
  
Lars nodded, content to stare at his display and think about what the Alliance would do with the bounty he had captured for them.  
  
The doors to the lift opened. "Captain E'dient? You wished to see me?"  
  
"Aye," E'dient replied. "Lieutenant Fellowes, here, has disabled the Imperial ship by disabling their life support. As soon as he restores it, I would like you and your squad to do a sweep of the ship. Any droids you encounter are to be disabled and set aside. Leave corpses where they lie, for now."  
  
"Sir, an Imperial-class Star Destroyer is huge! You can't expect us to sweep the entire ship!"  
  
"You're correct, Major. Check the major areas, bridge, engineering sections, barracks."  
  
Major Ysult nodded. "Aye, captain. Right on it." He saluted and left the bridge.  
  
Six days later, with the help of Lars Fellowes's computing abilities, the Star Destroyer Intimidator reached Haven, where the Rebel fleet had rendezvoused. The reports that had been sent back to the Intimidator's home base were falsified and showed that the Intimidator had continued on its scheduled patrol without incident. Admiral Ackbar greeted the Intimidator by taking his own shuttle over to the Star Destroyer.  
  
"Well-done, Captain E'dient," Ackbar said. "We can do a great deal with this Star Destroyer. I'll ask you to remain in command, and if you would call your senior staff to your briefing room?"  
  
"Aye, Admiral," E'dient said, saluting. He pressed down an intercom button. "All senior staff, report to the briefing room." The call echoed through the Intimidator.  
  
Ten minutes later, Lieutenant-Commander Fellowes entered the briefing room. Head engineer Commander Rikey Ulmort was there, as well as Major Ysult and Commander Treble Intigen. Captain E'dient was speaking with a Calamari and a human at the front of the room. The Calamari wore the rank of Admiral on his suit. 'Admiral Ackbar, no doubt,' Lars thought. The human was dressed in an orange flight suit and wore the rank of commander. He was tall and thin with neat brown hair. Lars didn't know who he was but knew he had to be important if Ackbar had brought him.  
  
"Have a seat, gentlemen," E'dient said. His senior staff sat down at the small table. "This is Admiral Ackbar, Fleet commander, and Commander Wedge Antilles, head of Rogue Squadron. Admiral?"  
  
"Thank you, Captain E'dient. This ship has been chosen to run a secret mission against the Empire. The Empire has a secret mining facility in the Ridera System, on Ridera Sixteen." The display screen at the head of the table showed a small planet with several small space stations orbiting around it. "The mining facility produces deuterium ore, used in production of Super Star Destroyers. It is one of only six known facilities of its type through the galaxy. We have already knocked three of them out, and they have taken steps to protect the other three, especially Ridera XVI, as it is the closest facility to where SSD production is occurring, and has the most output.  
  
"Ridera XVI is protected by a fleet of three Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and nine corvettes, as well as six ground based TIE Interceptor squadrons. However, the main defence is provided by a defence shield generated around the planet and the spaceport. The Intimidator is scheduled to arrive at Ridera XVI and replace one of the Star Destroyers at the end of its patrol. We shall supply a full crew of men in Imperial uniforms, and take its place you shall. Commander Antilles?"  
  
Antilles nodded and continued. "Rogue Squadron, Red Squadron, and Gold Squadron shall be in your docking bay area, in storage. Blue Squadron and Grey Squadron shall take the place of your TIE compliment, flying standard Imperial TIEs as a Star Destroyer's standard escort. They shall have X-Wings and Y-Wings in storage as well.  
  
"Upon entering the base, the Intimidator will fire its ion cannons at the two other Star Destroyers inside the deflector shield. Spies have revealed that at any given time four of the corvettes are patrolling the system, leaving only five to defend Ridera XVI itself. We feel that with both Star Destroyers disabled, and with Blue and Red Squadron in support, you should be more than capable of dealing with the corvettes.  
  
"At this time Gold and Grey Squadron will attack the planet, destroying the mining facilities and shield generator, with Rogue Squadron in support. As soon as the base facilities are destroyed, the Intimidator will cover the fighters as they make the jump to hyperspace, and then follow. Are there any questions?"  
  
Major Ysult put his hand up. "How do you intend to overcome six Interceptor squadrons with a single squadron of X-Wings?"  
  
Antilles smiled. "Rogue Squadron is the best of the best, major. We've fought more than six squadrons of Interceptors at once before."  
  
Ysult nodded, content with the answer. Commander Intigen had a question, however.  
  
"What about the TIEs on board the two ISDs?"  
  
"Red and Blue Squadrons are more than adequate to deal with four TIE Squadrons."  
  
E'dient also had a question. "What about the spaceports? Won't the Empire be able to rebuild the ground facilities with a relative amount of ease if the spaceports are still in operation?"  
  
Ackbar fielded that question. "The spaceports are a minor target we will only engage if we have time before Imperial reinforcements reach the system. It is more important to disable their mining operations for a short period of time so they cannot complete Super-class Star Destroyers already in production before we make a major strike on the Empire."  
  
Seven days later, the Intimidator dropped out of hyperspace near Ridera XVI, immediately launching the TIEs as per standard Imperial procedure. Blue and Grey Squadron flew out of the docking bay and began to escort the Star Destroyer toward the planet.  
  
"Open transmission, standard Imperial frequencies," Captain E'dient ordered. Fellowes depressed a button.  
  
"Channel open, sir."  
  
"Ridera Outpost, this is the Star Destroyer Intimidator. Lower the deflector shield so we may begin docking procedure."  
  
"Intimidator, this is Ridera XVI. Transmit your code for deflector shield clearance."  
  
"Copy that, Ridera." E'dient nodded to Lars, who transmitted the code he had located in the Intimidator's computer core.  
  
"Code checks out, Intimidator. Move at point one sublight speed to an orbit outside the shield."  
  
"Set a course, ensign," E'dient said. "Intimidator out." Fellowes closed the channel. The Star Destroyer settled into an orbit around the planet, and was shadowed by three Star Destroyers and three corvettes below the shield.  
  
Fellowes scanned the fleet behind the shield. "Sir, I'm only picking up those three corvettes. It looks like six are out on patrol."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Fellowes. Continue to scan."  
  
"Incoming message from the Indefatigable, sir."  
  
"On speakers," E'dient said.  
  
An Imperial voice echoed through the bridge. "Welcome to Ridera, Intimidator, the hotspot of the galaxy."  
  
E'dient laughed. "On your way out, Indefatigable?"  
  
"That's right, we've been attached to Admiral Piett's fleet for a year's tour. Enjoy your stay here, Intimidator. The shield is down, and we're gone. Indefatigable over and out." One of the Star Destroyers moved away from the other two and jumped to hyperspeed. The Intimidator moved into its place, docked its TIEs, and moved away from the shield as it was reactivated.  
  
E'dient leaned over Fellowes shoulder and pressed the button marked 'Public Address'. "Attention all hands. Move to battle stations. All fighter pilots to your fighters." E'dient straightened up and looked around. Commander Antilles disappeared into a lift from the console he had previously occupied.  
  
"Lieutenant," E'dient said to the man at tactical. "Power up the ion cannons and target the lead Star Destroyer."  
  
"Aye, Captain." No sooner had the young lieutenant carried out the order then the lead warship hailed them.  
  
"Intimidator, this is the Backlash. We're showing you've powered up your ion cannons."  
  
"Backlash, Intimidator. We have been having trouble with ion cannon power lately and have just managed to restore power. We're running a full systems check at operational strength."  
  
"Copy that, Intimidator. Do you require assistance?"  
  
"Negative, Backlash, we have it under control."  
  
"Understood. Backlash out."  
  
"Good bluff, sir!" Major Ysult said from his station. E'dient smiled and nodded.  
  
"Thank you, major. But we won't get to try that one again. Lieutenant, as soon as I give the order to fire ion cannons, switch your target to the second ISD and fire at will. When we enter combat, power up all turbolasers and target the corvettes."  
  
"Aye, captain." The lieutenant began to relay the orders.  
  
A voice came over the intercom. "Docking bay to bridge, come in, Captain E'dient."  
  
"E'dient here, go ahead."  
  
"All fighters are ready."  
  
"Begin egression, Commander Antilles. Good luck."  
  
"Intimidator, Warspite. We're detecting a launch from your bays, eighteen X-Wing classes. What's going on?"  
  
"Cut him off, commander. Switch to Alliance frequencies."  
  
"Aye captain!" Lars said, switching to the same frequency being used by the fighters.  
  
Captain E'dient looked at the viewscreen. "Fire ion batteries." The Backlash shuddered with the impact and began to drift as the first X-Wings dove toward the planet.  
  
"Rogue Squadron is away! Proceeding to destination."  
  
"Ion cannons recharged, sir! Targeting solution acquired on the Warspite!"  
  
"Fire." The Warspite was hit and its power was completely disabled. Thirty-six Y-Wings crossed in front of the Intimidator and dove toward the planet after Rogue Squadron.  
  
"Gold Squadron beginning descent!"  
  
"Grey Squadron beginning attack run!"  
  
The deck of the Intimidator then shook as the three corvettes opened fire on the captured Star Destroyer. "Target the lead corvette, and turn us to face them."  
  
"Aye, captain. Targeting lead corvette."  
  
"Maneuvering thrusters activated sir. Initiating 180 degree turn." Space and the surface of Ridera XVI passed by the viewscreen as the Intimidator turned to face the three Imperial corvettes moving to intercept. "Angle the defector screens, lieutenant."  
  
"Aye, sir. Deflectors raised," the lieutenant reported almost immediantly.  
  
The X-Wings of Blue and Red Squadrons flew out from under the Intimidator and made a beeline for the first corvette, their blasters firing and striking the Imperial spaceship. Fellowes was alerted by a warning on his console that the Warspite and the Backlash had launched their four squadrons of TIE Fighters and two squadrons of TIE Bombers. "Sir!" he said, with a hint of panic in his voice.  
  
"Commander?" E'dient said, turning to look at his communications and scanning officer.  
  
"TIE Fighters and Bombers coming in!"  
  
"Hail the fighters!"  
  
"Channel is open."  
  
"Red Squadron, Blue Squadron, we have TIEs coming for us, let us handle the corvettes."  
  
"Intimidator, this is Red Leader. We're on our way. Blue Leader, you take your squad and go above the Intimidator, Red Group, we'll go below."  
  
Blue Leader's voice came over the speakers next. "Copy that, Red Leader." On the viewscreen, the X-Wings reversed course and broke into two groups, moving over and under the Star Destroyer.  
  
E'dient spoke again. "Good luck, and may the Force be with you."  
  
The captain turned away from the screen and moved to his chair, giving out orders. "Ready all odd numbered turbolaser batteries. Have thumpers light up that lead corvette. Prepare an ion cannon discharge on the second corvette."  
  
"Aye, sir. Odd numbered batteries ready in all respects; target is lead corvette. Ion cannons charged and ready; target is second corvette."  
  
"Fire."  
  
Green laser-fire and ion blasts shot from the Intimidator and struck the two leading corvettes. The second shuddered and shut down, while the first shuddered as its deflectors crumbled.  
  
Fellowes reported the enemy ship's position. "Lead corvette's deflectors are down! Second corvette is totally shut down, trailing corvette is powering weapons now."  
  
"Even numbered batteries open fire on lead corvette. Recharge ion batteries and odd numbered batteries. Whatever is ready first, fire on trailing corvette."  
  
"Aye, sir!" The Intimidator's second group of turbolasers spat fire, and struck the first corvette in a line across the top.  
  
"Direct hit! Enemy fusion core is destabilizing!" The viewscreen was then lit up by the explosion of the corvette as its energy core melted down.  
  
"Firing odd numbered batteries!" the tactical lieutenant reported. The trailing corvette took heavy damage, and one of the first shots took out its shield generator.  
  
"Trailing corvette's shields are down, heavy damage to their weapons!"  
  
"Fire even batteries!" More fire struck the corvette, and it too exploded.  
  
Outside the Intimidator, Red and Blue Squadron were engaging the TIEs.  
  
"Lock s-foils in attack position," Yan DeGat ordered. DeGat's call sign was Red Leader. He was a veteran of Hoth and several smaller skirmishes since the epic snow battle. Depressing a button, his s-foils separated and locked in the signature X that gave the Incom T-65 fighter its nickname. The others in his squadron, and Blue Squadron, did the same.  
  
"Attack pattern sixteen," Blue Leader said. "Blue Group take Element Two." The eighteen  
  
X-Wings belonging to Blue Squadron dove as Red Group's snub fighters pulled up, allowing the TIEs to pass through them. Diving and rolling, both squadrons ended up on the TIEs back.  
  
Red Leader powered up his blasters. "Red Two, Red Six, follow me. Engage those bombers."  
  
"I copy, Red Leader," Red Two said. Red Six formed on his left wing as Red Two got on his right.  
  
DeGat looked to his left at Red Six. "You ready, Wilk?" he asked.  
  
"Aye, sir. I'm looking forward to it." Wilk Guildson was a recent addition to the Rebellion. He had flown transports for the Empire for three years before he got a chance to defect; his wife and two children had lived on Alderaan.  
  
"Go for it!" Red Leader said, punching his throttle forward. Reds Two and Six followed, and soon they were swooping in on six TIE Bombers making a beeline for the Intimidator. Red Six fired first, although he missed, the TIE flew straight into DeGat's line of fire.  
  
"Got one!" he called as he flew through the cloud of debris. Red Two traced his blasters across two more TIEs, striking one and causing it to collide with the other. The remaining bombers broke formation.  
  
Red Leader looked over at Guildson. "Stay with me, Red Six. Let someone else get them."  
  
The errant X-Wing returned to DeGat's side. True to Red Leader's words, two Blue fighters dove on the TIEs and eliminated them.  
  
"TIE Fighters, coming in!" a man called over the radio. "I've got three bandits on me!"  
  
"Hold on, Blue Fourteen," another said. The endangered X-Wing crossed ahead of DeGat, followed by three TIEs and another Blue Squad member. The tailing X-Wing fired, blasting two of the TIEs into shred, while the third opened fire and struck Blue Fourteen fatally. His craft broke up before he could move his hand to the ejection switch.  
  
"Damn," cursed the tailing X-Wing as he destroyed the final TIE.  
  
"Commander," Red Two said. "We've got company!" DeGat looked over his shoulder to see four TIEs move behind him and his wingmen.  
  
"Evasive maneuvers!" he yelled, diving. But it was too late for Red Two, who took three direct hits and exploded. The four TIEs stuck with DeGat as he dove toward the Intimidator, dodging green lasers.  
  
"Hang on, Red Leader," Red Six said over the comm. Guildson dropped in behind the TIEs and swept blaster fire across them, destroying three and forcing the fourth to make a break for it. Quickly turning, he pursued the fleeing TIE and eliminated it.  
  
"Blue Leader, this is Red Leader," DeGat said into the comm. An unfamiliar voice answered.  
  
"Red Leader, this is Blue Four. Blue Leader, Two, and Three are all gone."  
  
"Copy that. How many TIEs left over there?"  
  
"None, sir. They're in full retreat."  
  
"Affirmative. How many fighters do you have left, Blue Four?"  
  
"Ten, sir. Including myself."  
  
"Circle the Intimidator, and await further orders."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
DeGat shook his head. "Red Squadron, all fighters report in."  
  
"Red Six, here, sir."  
  
"Red Three, ready."  
  
"Red Ten, all systems go."  
  
"Red Nine, ready."  
  
"Red Four, ready."  
  
"Red Five, on line."  
  
"Red Sixteen, all systems operational."  
  
"Red Twelve, a little cooked but okay."  
  
"Red Eight, here."  
  
"Red Seventeen, go."  
  
'Eleven fighters. Not good,' DeGat thought to himself. Then his intercom crackled.  
  
"Blue Leader, Red Leader, come in."  
  
"Red Leader here," DeGat responded.  
  
"Red Leader, this is Rogue Leader. We need you and Blue Group on the planet, now."  
  
"Aye, sir. Preparing for descent. Did you hear that, Blue Four?"  
  
"Copy that. We're on the way. Close your s-foils and prepare for planetary descent."  
  
On the planet, Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron were in trouble. The TIEs were wreaking havoc among the Y-Wings. Almost a third of them had been shot down.  
  
"Damnit! Where'd they come from?" another voice called. Wedge looked left and right, seeing his wingmen, Rogue Two and Rogue Four.  
  
"Hang on, Gold Nine. Hobbie, Zev, you two with me?"  
  
"All the way, commander," a voice replied. They dove to where a Y- Wing was frantically dodging fire from five TIEs. Wedge opened fire as they neared, striking three down. Hobbie and Zev took one out as they neared.  
  
"Thanks, Rogue Group. I'm clear!" the Y-Wing pilot called as he lined up for his attack run on the depot. Bombs dropped from the starfighter, completing the destruction of the fourth of five surface depots. Wedge risked a look around. The skies were empty, except for the Y-Wings of Gold and Grey Squadrons and the X-Wings of Rogue Squadron.  
  
A female voice crackled over his radio set. "Wedge, it's Kasan. I'm on the other side of the planet, by the fifth mine. Three more squads of TIE Interceptors appeared!"  
  
"Damn. Rogue Group, close s-foils and move to the last mine. Red Leader, Blue Leader, come in."  
  
"Red Leader here."  
  
"Red Leader, this is Rogue Leader. We need you and Blue Group on the planet, now."  
  
"Aye, sir. Preparing for descent. Did you hear that, Blue Four?"  
  
"Copy that. We're on the way. Close your s-foils and prepare for planetary descent."  
  
Wedge's own s-foils were closed as the planet turned to a blur beneath him. He knew the  
  
Y-Wings would be far behind him, but they needed to eliminate the Interceptors before the Y-Wings could release their bombs on the last depot.  
  
"Hang on, Kasan," Wedge said as he opened his s-foils, engaging and destroying two Interceptors that were hot behind Rogue Three. The other Rogues were engaging the Interceptors, having caught them at somewhat of a surprise. Beside Wedge, Hobbie dove and began to chase three Interceptors just above ground level.  
  
"Argh! This is Rogue Five, I need assistance!"  
  
"Hang on, Janson!" Wedge called, accelerating and climbing, so he was flying straight for the endangered X-Wing. "Break right on my mark!"  
  
"Your right or my right?"  
  
"Your right! Mark!" Janson peeled away and Wedge's four blaster cannons spit death into the two Interceptors that had been chasing him.  
  
"Rogue Leader, this is Red Leader. You have three bandits on your six."  
  
Wedge looked over his shoulder. "Copy that, Red Leader. Care to swat some flies for me?"  
  
"My pleasure," DeGat said as his s-foils locked in attack position. He fired and destroyed the lead TIE as the other two opened fire. Wedge easily dodged.  
  
"Amateurs," he said on an Imperial frequency just as Red Leader finished both them off. "Nice shot, Red Leader. Form on my wing."  
  
"Copy that, Rogue Leader." Together they dove and eliminated four more TIEs as the Y-Wings arrived on scene.  
  
"Not too late for the party, are we?" a course voice said.  
  
"Of course not, Gold Leader. Knock yourself, or some Imperials, out."  
  
The Y-Wings climbed to bombing height and began to drop death into the compound. Blue and Red Squadrons finished off the last of the TIEs as they arrived from orbit, and soon Wedge was giving an order. "Well done, men!"  
  
"And women."  
  
"And women. Let's return to the Intimidator." The X-Wings and Y- Wings began to accelerate and climb out of the atmosphere.  
  
On the Intimidator, Captain E'dient was scratching his head. "Get me Commander Antilles," he ordered Commander Fellowes.  
  
"Channel open, sir."  
  
"Commander Antilles, the shield is still up. We cannot go to lightspeed until the shield has been disabled."  
  
"Our Y-Wings are out of ordinance, Captain, and we didn't bring extra bombs along. We lost too many bombers in an ambush on the surface, and our X-Wings don't have the firepower to eliminate the shield generator."  
  
"Copy that." E'dient turned to the tactical lieutenant. "Lieutenant, are the planetary bombardment batteries operational?"  
  
"No, sir. We disabled them to get extra power to the deflectors."  
  
"Power them up. Target the shield generator. Navigation, drop us into a lower orbit."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
The planet passed faster below as they were in a lower orbit, having less distance to travel. "Shield generator on the horizon, sir. All bombardment batteries on line and ready for action."  
  
"Take us to just below the shield, navigation. Open fire."  
  
Massive cannons on the underside of the Star Destroyer opened fire, devastating the planet wherever they touched. However, they were not very accurate. The generator had almost passed to the rear of the planet before; "Direct hit! Planetary shield is down!"  
  
"Captain E'dient, all starfighters are reporting they are ready to go to hyperspeed. All damaged craft have docked."  
  
"Very well. Navigation, set course for the Sullust system."  
  
"Sir? We're not returning to Haven?"  
  
"Admiral Ackbar's orders were to rendezvous with the fleet in the Sullust system. Transmit the coordinates to the fighters."  
  
"Coordinates transmitted. Setting course."  
  
"Go to lightspeed." The Star Destroyer and its fighter escorts accelerated and left for Sullust.  
  
Wilk Guildson and Yan DeGat sat in a bar on the Alliance command ship, drinking silently. Neither of them knew what was happening, but the entire fleet had never massed like this before. It made it too easy for the Imperials to ambush them. The doors to the bar opened, and Wedge Antilles and Derek "Hobbie" Klivian entered, approaching the two men from Red Squadron.  
  
"These seats taken?" Wedge asked. DeGat shook his head in a negative and the two senior pilots sat.  
  
"Sir," Wilk said, unable to hold it back any longer, "What are we going after?"  
  
Wedge looked at the young pilot. "Hobbie, do you think he's good enough?"  
  
"Definitely. I'll take him." Hobbie stood up and took Guildson by the arm, leading him off to speak with him in private.  
  
"Yan," Wedge began as soon as they were alone. "I need a number two pilot in my squadron."  
  
"Isn't Commander Klivian your second-in-command?" DeGat asked.  
  
"For the coming attack, all fighters are being split into four groups. I'm leading Red Group, and Hobbie's leading Green Group. Wes Janson is in Grey Group, and Zev and Kasan have been assigned to Gold Squadron. You're a damn good pilot, and I want you on my wing."  
  
Yan nodded, then looked up. "What are we hitting?"  
  
Wedge leaned close and whispered in his ear. "Another Death Star." Yan looked at him in silence. There was nothing to be said.  
  
In the conference room on the Calamari ship, Captain E'dient and Admiral Ackbar were having a discussion.  
  
"Sir," E'dient was saying, "I don't understand why you don't want the Intimidator in this campaign."  
  
"The Intimidator is a good ship, and has a good crew, but the appearance of a Star Destroyer in our ranks may give away the knowledge that we have control. After we make our attack, information on the loss of the Intimidator may be lost, allowing us to use it again."  
  
"What's the target?" E'dient said as the doors opened and men and women began to fill the hall.  
  
Ackbar motioned to a seat in the circular room, as Mon Mothma herself entered. "Have a seat, Captain."  
  
Author's note: Both Yan DeGat and Wilk Guildson died in the Battle of Endor. Guildson, flying an  
  
A-Wing, crashed into the bridge of Admiral Piett's Super-class Star Destroyer, which was, thanks to this mission, the only one in service at the time. A TIE pilot killed Commander DeGat inside the Death Star. 


End file.
